A complete multi-scale simulation of light absorption within a fluidized bed photoreactor using integrated particle, fluid and photon behaviour models

Photocatalysis is a process that offers the ability to degrade a wide range of pollutants through a non-intensive process using renewable light sources. Despite this promise, in practice the take-up of photocatalysis has been slow, in part because little work has been done on the optimal design of photocatalytic reactors. The use of fluidized beds for photocatalytic applications has many advantages through their high illuminated surface area, reduced mass transfer constraints and retention of the photocatalyst. However this photoreactor design has received little attention compared to other possible designs, especially in regards to modelling and simulation. The models that have been developed simplify the behaviour of the fluidized bed, and in doing so lose much of the dynamic behaviour of the system that would be present in most realistic operations. This report details the development of a fully simulated fluidized bed photoreactor, where the movement of the particle and fluid phases was determined by discrete element modelling and computational fluid dynamics, respectively, and the behaviour of the photons was modelled using geometric optics. The accuracy of the model was assessed comparing it to the light transmitted through an experimental fluidized bed. Previously unreported photon absorption behaviour was found, particularly in regards to how the photons are absorbed throughout the space. At lower heights of the bed the photons are overwhelmingly absorbed at the walls of the reaction volume, while higher up the bed there is a broad zone of relatively even absorption throughout the entire space. This has implications for the design of this class of reactor. Two possible fluidized bed photoreactor designs are discussed based on this effect, one having a very small reaction volume and having a very dense particle phase, while the other has large reaction volume with a more distributed particle phase.